


Masquerade

by ImOutOfMyVulcanMind (LoopyLu94)



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Dancing, F/M, Fluff, Halloween, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, Meta attacks, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:22:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27309145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoopyLu94/pseuds/ImOutOfMyVulcanMind
Summary: A chance meeting with a handsome masked stranger takes an unexpected turn
Relationships: Earth-2 Harrison "Harry" Wells/Reader, Earth-2 Harrison "Harry" Wells/You
Comments: 1
Kudos: 20





	Masquerade

The CCPD’s Halloween charity event had been one of your favorite nights of the year since you were a teen attending with your parents. And though you weren’t an official member of the force, you were still invited every year, and every year you couldn’t wait. **  
**

The theme this Halloween was ‘masquerade’. Wear whatever costume you desire, but pair it with a mask. You’d chosen to stick with a classic vampire costume, wearing a black and deep red outfit with a matching red mask that was trimmed with shining black sequins, even going so far as to coat your hair in a sparkly wash out dye so you practically looked unrecognizable.

Roaming the hall that had been hired out, you sipped the toxic green fruity drink that was being served and mingled with the other party-goers. Some you were able to recognize, like Barry and Iris, others you had no idea about. It didn’t matter. Half the fun was in not knowing, and like this everyone was free to speak to anyone, regardless of role or rank. 

It was a couple of hours in when you spotted a man lurking by himself near the buffet table. Going by the cloak draped over his shoulders, he was channeling his inner vampire too, though instead of black and red, his colors of choice were black and a beautiful silver. With his dark hair and pale skin, he looked almost ethereal. And miserable if the scowl plastered to his face had anything to go by.

“Tonight isn’t meant to be painful, you know,” you said, coming to stand next to him and offering a glass.

He looked at the glass like you were giving him poison, and for a moment you thought he was just going to walk away, but then he raised his gaze to your face, eyes mostly hidden behind the black mask, and seemed to change his mind. He accepted the drink, “Easy enough to say when you’re a social butterfly.”

Laughing softly, you watched him take a long sip of the fruity cocktail, making a face at the sugary taste. “I don’t know if I’d say I’m that. I just like Halloween, and combining that with raising money for a good cause, what’s not to like?”

“Nothing. Unless money gets skimmed off the top.”

“No one does that.”

“Can you be certain?”

“Yes.”

“Are you always this positive?”

“I try to be. Are you always this cynical?”

“Yes.”

You laughed again, hard enough this time that you had to clutch at your ribs. He didn’t seem impressed. “Sorry. You just remind me of someone I know.”

The man huffed, the corner of his lips quirking up. “It’s fine. You remind me of someone I know too. They’re always almost annoyingly upbeat about everything.”

“They sound like my kind of person.”

“Of course they do.”

You smiled, moving around to him to pick up one of the tinily cut sandwiches. “So, if you really don’t want to be here, then why come?”

“I was…coerced. A friend said that it’d be ‘good for me to get out and attempt to be sociable for once in my life and maybe learn not to be a jackass’.”

Nearly choking on the food, you covered your mouth as you coughed and spluttered. He was next to you instantly, a large hand coming to rub your back. “Are you okay?” He asked.

You nodded, taking a drink to clear your throat. “Yeah. Just…I wasn’t expecting you to say that.”

“If you knew the guy who said it, you wouldn’t be.”

“I don’t doubt it.” You were recovered now, but his hand was still a warm presence on your back. Any other time you’d be uncomfortable having a strange man so close like that, but for whatever reason, you weren’t this time. It wasn’t just that he reminded you of someone, it felt like you actually knew him. Like you could trust him. Looking past him, you saw that more people had moved to the centre of the hall to dance. You motioned to them with a nod of your head. “Well, since you are here, care to join me on the dancefloor?”

He followed your gaze, grimacing. “I’m not much of a dancer.”

Tutting, you grabbed his hand. “C’mon! Don’t be a jackass and live a little!” 

You were grinning as you tugged him forward, and after a long sigh, he returned the smile. “Fine.

He let you guide him into the crowd and stayed close as you began to move to the music. He tried to join in but he hadn’t been lying when he claimed not to be a dancer. He was awkward and stiff in his movements and focusing so much it was nearly hilarious. Unable to help yourself you giggled a little, a decision you instantly regretted. He scowled and stopped. 

“This was a bad idea,” he said, already starting to move away.

“No, wait!” You grabbed his wrist to stop him. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t laughing at you, honest. You were…you were just kinda cute, trying so hard like that.” You pulled him back towards you, happy when he allowed it. “Look, come here.” You stepped closer into his space, placing his hands on your hips while you wrapped yours around his shoulders. “You’re thinking too much about it. Just…feel the beat, sway with it. Like this.” You started dancing again, beaming when he followed your motions, still tense, but a little smoother. 

As close as you were now, it was easier to get a better look at him. Even with half his face hidden under the mask, it was easy to see he was handsome. His hair was a little lighter than you’d first thought, his face a little smoother too. In a way it was a relief. With the way he’d been speaking and acting, you were starting to think he was actually the grumpy scientist he reminded you of. Which would’ve been a problem. Because you would absolutely not be able to get away with dancing with him. Not without losing your dignity at least. With it not being him, you could relax and just enjoy yourself.

The music slowed, but rather than pull away, the mystery man closed what little distance was left between you until you were pressed flush together. He seemed even more at ease now, smiling softly as you swayed to the music.

“This is nice,” you said quietly, smiling back at him.

“It is. Thank you…for forcing me.”

“Sometimes we need a little push to leave our comfort zone.”

He hummed, inclining his head a little in agreement. He licked his lips and despite yourself, you couldn’t help but follow the motion. “Since I’m already well outside mine…can I say that I think you look beautiful?”

Cheeks heating, you chuckled nervously. “Thank you. You…you look really good too. That silver is gorgeous. I haven’t seen that shade before.”

“It’s a special one from my…home.”

“Your home must be stunning.”

“Not as much as it is here.”

“There must be something really special about Central City in that case.”

“There is.”

He had a certain look on his face. You knew it well from your own reflection. The man was smitten. “Or is it a special someone?”

He huffed a laugh, “Guilty. They’re…exceptional.”

“I get the feeling that’s high praise coming from you.”

“Depends on who you ask.”

“Do they know? How you feel?”

“No. If I have it my way they never will either.”

“Why?”

“You’ve met me. I’m cynical, brusque, grumpy-”

“A jackass?”

He laughed, nodding. “A jackass. And they’re…they’re like you.”

“Annoyingly upbeat?”

“And kind, hopeful. My antithesis. They wouldn’t be interested.”

You shrugged, “You never know, but…I understand.”

“You do?”

“Mmm. There’s a guy…a scientist. He’s…he’s a genius. Literally. He’s kinda like you too, but he’s also brave and he’d never admit it, but his heart is pure gold. He’d do anything for the ones he loves. And he’s…Harry is completely out of my league.”

He didn’t answer you. Instead, he just stared, mouth slightly agape. You were about to ask what was wrong when all hell broke loose.

A deafening white blast tore through the hall, smashing the windows in, blowing the furniture to smithereens, shattering the crystal chandeliers above your head. You were knocked back with everyone else, thrown across the debris coated floor until you hit a splintered table hard. 

The man you’d been dancing with groaned next to you. “Are you okay?” He asked, voice raised to be heard over the shouts and chaos. He was hovering over you, mask gone.

You nodded slowly. Your head hurt, but it didn’t feel like anything was broken. There was a flash of yellow lightning behind him. It nearly masked the way his face glitched. Glitched and changed from an unknown figure to…someone you knew all too well. 

Oh, shit.

There was another rumbling blast and Harry threw himself over you, shielding your body with his own. Clutching the soft material of his jacket was instinct, squeezing your eyes shut as you hid your face in his shirt, heart thundering in your chest.

“They’re gone!” Joe shouted somewhere to your left. “We need to get people out of here.”

Harry pulled back, breathing hard as he looked down at you. You stared back. Between the fear and the adrenaline, any thoughts on what to say, how to explain yourself vanished. His gaze dropped. “You’re bleeding.”

“What?”

“Your arm.”

You followed his eyes and sure enough the sleeve of your costume had been torn, revealing an ugly looking gash slicing across your bicep. You hadn’t felt it at first, but now, now the pain was setting in harsh and throbbing. Harry was already tearing the sleeve of his jacket, tying the material tightly around the injury.

“We need to get you medical help,” he said.

“We need to get back to the Labs. Barry is gonna need us.”

“The injury-”

“Caitlin can take care of it.”

Harry didn’t look happy, but he nodded, getting to his feet and helping you up too. It was easy to find Cisco, and once you were all somewhere private enough, he breached you back to the Labs before rushing to help Barry with the meta. 

A couple of hours, some improvised tech and a bit of teamwork later, you had the meta caught and locked up, and you were perched on one of the beds in the med area while Caitlin finished stitching and dressing your arm properly. 

Just as she was done, and you were carefully rolling down the sleeve of the S.T.A.R Labs sweatshirt you’d borrowed, Harry, who’d disappeared soon after Barry and Cisco returned, reappeared dressed in his usual all black ensemble. He hovered in the doorway, frowning as Caitlin gave you some pain meds. 

“Thanks, Cait.”

“No problem,” she smiled, looking between you and Harry. You hadn’t said anything to her, but you got the feeling she knew. “I’ll leave you two alone, but get some rest soon, okay?”

“Yeah. I will.”

She left then, and Harry waited until he was sure no one else was around before approaching the bed slowly. “Are you alright?”

You nodded. “Physically, I’ll be fine. Emotionally, I’m not sure I’ll ever get over the embarrassment.”

“You don’t have anything to be embarrassed about. This was my fault. I shouldn’t have even been there. Ramon insisted I be his ‘plus one’, and set up the facial transmogrification device just in case I was recognized.” 

You nodded again, avoiding his eyes in favor of playing with the hem of your sweater. “Did you know it was me?”

“Not at first. When you said my name it all clicked.”

“So if I’d just kept my mouth shut, things could’ve gone on as normal. Great.”

“Y/N, what you said-”

“I know, and I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I won’t mention anything about it again, especially now I know that there’s someone else who’s caught your eye.”

You heard rather than saw as Harry grabbed a chair and pulled it around so he was sitting level in front of you. “I thought you would’ve figured it out by now.”

“Figured what out? That I’m an idiot who fell for someone I’ve no right falling for? I got that.”

“No.” Fingers were under your chin, gently coaxing your gaze back up. “Figured out that I was talking about you.”

You stared at him, “You were?”

“Yes. You’re the reason I love this Earth so much.”

“Oh.” Not the smartest reply you’d ever come up with, but you weren’t entirely sure what else to say either especially when Harry’s thumb was stroking your cheek. 

“When you said my name…I almost didn’t believe it at first.”

“Why?”

“Because I couldn’t believe that I deserved your affection.”

“Harry…you’re…you’re everything I could want.”

“As are you.”

You smiled, bringing your hand up to cover his own. “See? I told you Halloween was the best.”

Harry chuckled softly, nodding. “I’ll give you this one.”

“Good.”

Harry leaned in. You met him halfway. 

Best Halloween ever.


End file.
